by Karla Stevens
 Hello fashionistas and fans! Tonight's episode was all a big flashback for me. I remember when Risky Business hit the theaters and I all dreamt about was a run-in with Tom Cruise. The scene where he dances around in his tightie whities is permanently imprinted on my brain. If you haven't seen it, put it on your must rent list.
When Summer kicks off her fabulous of-the-moment 80s pumps at the OC Yard Sale and throws them on the auction block, I got to thinking: What is vintage? How much are those shoes really worth? What does it actually mean to be a fabulous vintage Chanel dress circa 1962, hanging on a rack in a vintage clothing store with a price tag that far exceeds a Chanel dress from this season? We're in the midst of a full on vintage craze and I think inquiring fashionistas would like to know.
I made a quick call to Doris Raymond, the owner of the fantastic shop The Way We Wore to get the 411. All the hot vintage collectors shop there and so does Mandy Moore, Wynona Ryder, Renee Zellweger and our own vintage buff Rachel Bilson, aka Summer. Doris carries all the decades - from 1910 to 1980. According to her, an antique is anything that is between 75 and 100 years old depending on whom you talk to. Vintage is a piece that is significant to a particular time period. In her opinion, the eighties is the last official vintage era. "The eighties are iconic - the end of studio 54, Glam rock," she said. "The nineties bleeds into all eras, but give it some time."
She was quick to point out that she collects pieces from around the world and that she doesn't focus on trends, just good classic style. "The beautiful thing about an impeccable vintage piece is that you will be hard pressed to find anything like it today," she said. "The craftsmanship and the design that went into clothing in those eras is something you rarely see today unless you are buying really high end."
My advice to the fledgling vintage shopper: Take the time to go to your local vintage store and treat it like a trip to a museum. There's a lot to learn about the history of clothing and it will give you style sensibility. I recommend picking out one fabulous piece - say a great vintage jacket. Pair it with a cute pair of jeans and your favorite heels and you're ready to run. Best thing about your look - nobody else has it. |
